Electroplated articles and method of making same



P. M. HENNEGAN ELEGTROPLATED ARTICLE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME July 2, 1935.

Filed Mai; 2, 1931 amen 1 o? Pau/ M/figmegan Patented July 2, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTROPLATED ARTICLES AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Paul M. Hennegan, Cincinnati, Ohio Application May 2, 1931, Serial No. 534,599

'6 Claims.

This invention relates to electroplated articles and an improved method of applying the metal-- lic coating thereto.

results than the methods heretofore known and used. Although I follow substantially the steps of the old methods, I

have deviated from the old practice in that I use a synthetic or glyptol type resin as an adhesive for granular or powdered metal, which is applied to the article to be coated, instead of the usual pitch, graphite, varnishes, waxes, and salts of metals commonly used for the purpose. As a result of the use of a synthetic resin in that capacity, there is secured a new and very desirable result,

As to the drawing,

as will appear hereinafter.

accordance with the improved method hereof. Fig. 2 isan enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a treated shingle of wood.

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of a treated object of plaster or similar substance.

5 is an elevational view of an article of phenolic composition fancifully decorated with electroplating in accordance with the present in vention.

coating on articles n ran-conductive of electricity,

tie certainty of results was always problematical due, as I have discovered, to the use of improper substances providing a base or adherent for the granulated or powdered metallic particles forming the basis for the coating on the-article to be plated. By employing in the process a synthetic resin of proper character and consistency, there is secured a homogeneous relationship between the article to be coat ed and the base or adherent tor the metallic particles which may be of copper, bronze or other metal. By the use of waxes,

varnishes, pitch, graphite, etc., as'a base or adherent, there is effected no homogeneity but merely an adhesion between the article surface,

the base or adherent, and the metallic particles, and as a result of the imperfect union of substances the coating is susceptible to peeling and disassoclationfrom t he plated article. With the use of synthetic resin in the process, there is secured not only a tenacious adherence of the plate to the article, but as a further advantage the base supporting the plating is unaffected by high temperatures below that used in the treatment outlined hereafter, i. e., temperatures ranging from approximately '75 to 300 degrees centigrade, depending upon the character of the article undergoing treatment. The ability of the synthetic resin to homogenize with the material to be m plated is of outstanding value in the conduct of the process.

It will be assumed that an electroplated coating Q is to be applied to the well-known roofing sheet or shingle, as shown in Figs. l and 2, comprising a body l of sheet material covered with granular stone, slate, or like particles bound to the body portion by a tacky or comparatively soft binder substance 8. As the first step of the process, the article to be plated is sprayed, dipped in or brushed with a synthetic resin, which upon condensation of the synthetic resin by evaporation of its volatile constituents, becomes set or dry to the touch. The treated article thereafter is subjected to a comparatively high temperature which is insufficient to injure the article treated. The temperature used in the case of a roofing material is between and degrees centigrade. The heat treatment renders the synthetic resin plastic and causes it to homogericre with the pitch or asphalt content of the roofing material. Whilst the resin is plastic, a powdered or finely granulated metal is sprinkled evenly. over the plastic surface presented by the heated synthetic resin, after which the rnetallized shingle may be subjected to electrical deposition or" a desired metal, in an electrolytic cell or plating apparatus one form of which is described in the patent to Merritt No. 1 282,259. Copper, and especially bronze, are found to provide a very satisfactory coating for articles thus plated, and, as distinguishing from the old processes which I have hereinbeiore referred to, the deposition is certain, regular, and uniform in its behavior. Other metals, however, may be electrodeposited on the synthetic resin base.

Particular attention is directed to the peculiarity that synthetic resin, having once been sub jected to a given temperature in the process, it will never again melt or become plastic at temperatures at or below the said given temperature. Therefore, it should be clearly apparent that an article capable of withstanding high temperatures in the process may have applied thereto a metallic coating 9 supported on a very hard waterproof and fireproof base In of synthetic resin that will not readily melt or become tacky and thereby permit loosening and peeling off of the metallic covering. This advantage is not apparent in those processes wherein pitch, asphalt, varnishes, waxes, etc., are employed as a base for the metallic coating. As the synthetic resin base I0 is fireproof and waterproof, the process need not include the usual waterproofing of the article prior to plating, which further distinguishes from the methods heretofore known and used.

Synthetic resin is easy to handle and therefore is very desirably suited to the process, it being controllable as to the time required for drying or setting. It has the property of gradually assuming, upon exposure to light and air, a degree of hardness unobtainable in pitch or varnish bases, and it can be chemically treated to impart thereto various degrees of flexibility, if desired.

In Fig. 4 is disclosed an electroplated article which may be in the form of a decorative miniature monument or the like, which is composed of plaster or like material non-conductive of electricity. At I2 is indicated the body of the article, the shape of which is immaterial to the invention, which is covered by the synthetic resin base l3 and the metallc plating M. The synthetic resin base adheres tenaciously to the body I2 and the entire article may be heat treated and plated in accordance with the invention, to prevent peeling off of the synthetic resin base and the plating, at very high temperatures. The wooden shingle indicated at l 5, Fig. 3, is illustrative of another application of the invention, wherein the foregoing advantages are secured. Either the entire shingle may be plated, or the plating may be applied only to the portion l8 which is exposed when the shingle is in place on a wall or roof.

The disclosure of Fig. 5 is that of a non-porous article of glassware, vitreous substance, a phenolic compound, or the like. The design or decorative matter I1 is of metal plated onto a base of synthetic resin as in the foregoing examples. The article is decorated by applying thereto a coating of synthetic resin, which is permitted to condense and dry thereon slightly beyond the plastic state. The coated article is then highly heated, and the synthetic resin thereby is further condensed and becomes plastic and capable of holding powdered or finely granulated metal. The article, after being substantially completely covered with the powdered metal, is subjected to the electroplating process to firmly attach the plate or covering. Then, by means of a printing plate electrotype or photo-ditho-plate carrying the design desired and having applied thereto an acid resisting ink, the design is transferred to the article, overthe metallic plating, and thereby provides on the metallic plating an acid resisting coating having the shape of the design Wanted. Thereafter, the article is immersed in an acid bath which eats away all of the metallic plating which is not covered by the acid resisting ink. Upon termination of the acid treatment, the ink covering the design may be removed, thereby leaving the design exposed on the article to provide a decorative efiect. It is preferable, in carrying out this process, to utilize an acid resist, on the printing plate, which contains a synthetic resin.

A resist including synthetic resin can be left onthe design after the acid treatment, after which the article may be heat treated to harden the synthetic resin resist whereby to provide upon the design a substantially impervious hard film or protective transparent coating.

In Fig. 6 is illustrated a tile or slab of shaped or molded clay or cementitious substance,'which may be used for decorative purposes in the building of various structures requiring ornamentation. The article first has applied thereto a synthetic resin of the desired consistency. After permitting the resin coated article to set or dry to the touch, it may be heated to a temperature such as the material to be plated will stand without deteriorating, this being ordinarily from '75 to 300 degrees centigrade. This step further condenses the synthetic resin, making it more impervious in water, heat, or solvents. In this heated condition, the synthetic resin is in a plastic state and is ready to receive the finely powdered metal coating. The metal particles thereupon are applied to the plastic resin, either alone or mixed with a conductive carbon powder, and the whole is then permitted to cool sufficiently to set the plastic resin and its metallic particles. The surface 'of the article thereby is rendered conductive of electricity, and it also is water proof and acid proof. The chemicals used in the electroplating process to which the article is subsequently subjected, therefore cannot react upon the material of the article being treated. The electroplating process then is carried out as hereinbefore explained.

. What is claimed is:

l. A process of electroplating articles comprising applying a synthetic resin to the article as a base for a metallic cover, permitting the base material to set, applying heat to soften the base material, applying finely divided metal to the softened base subjecting the treated article to an electroplating treatment, applying a design to the electroplated article with an acid resisting substance including synthetic resin, immersing the designed article in an acid bath to remove the plating unprotected by the acid resist, and sub jecting the article to a heat treatment, upon termination of the acid treatment, to harden the synthetic resin covering the design.

2. A process of electroplating articles comprising applying a synthetic-resin to the article as a base for a metallic cover, permitting the base material to set, applying heat to soften the base material, applying finely divided metal to the softened base, subjecting the treated article to an electroplating treatment, applying a design to the electroplated article with an acid resisting substance, subjecting the designed article to an acid bath to remove the plating unprotected by the acid resist, then subjecting the article to a heat treatment, upon termination of the acid treatment, sufiicient to harden the synthetic resin base.

3. A process of electroplating articles, comprising applying a synthetic resin of varnish consistency to the article as a base for a metallic covering, permitting the varnish-like synthetic resin to set, applying thereto sufficient heat to tected by the acid resist, then removing the acid resist upon termination of the acid treatment.

' 4. The process of electroplating which includes applying to an article a synthetic resin characterized by its ability to retain rigidity of body when subjected to any temperature below that which it was once subjected to, permitting said substance to set, applying to said substance suntcient heat to leader said substance infusible at or below the temperature applied, said heat being at least suflicient to soften the resin, applying finely divided metal to the substance thereby softened, subjecting the treated article to an electroplating treatment, applying a design to the electroplated article with an acid resisting substance including synthetic resin, subjecting the designed article to an acid bath to remove the plate unprotected by the acid resist, then subject ing the article to a heat treatment, upon termination of the'acid treatment to harden the synthetic resin covering the design.

5. The herein described process of treating a roofing sheet containing a semirpiastic pitchy substance, which process comprises the steps of applying to the surface of such sheet a coating of synthetic resin characterized by its ability to retain rigidity of body when subjected to any temperature below that to which it was once subjected, drying the coating to-aet it, heating the roofing sheet to a temperature approximating 150 C. to homogenize the pitchy substance with temperature below the resin thereby rendered tacky, applying finely divided metal to the surface of the homogeneous mass resulting from the heating operation, and thereafter subjecting the roofing sheet thus treated, to an electroplating operation.

6. The herein described process roofing sheet containing a semi-plastic pitchy substance, which process comprises the steps of applying to the surface of such sheet a coating of synthetic resin characterized by its ability to retain rigidity of body when subjected to any that to which it was once subjected, drying the coating to set it, heating the roofing sheet to a temperature approximating 150 C. to homogenize the pitchy substance with the resin thereby rendered tacky, applying finely divided inetal to the surface of the homogeneous mass resulting from the heating operation, and thereafter subjecting the roofing sheet thus treated, to an electroplating operation, then fixing the synthetic resin coating by subsequently applying to the roofing sheet a temperature slightly higher than that generally directed upon it during the life of the roofing sheet.

PAUL I. HENNEGAN,

of treating a 

